Rum production in Jamaica began as early as the 15th century and arguably transformed the fortunes of the 4,442-square-mile island, as slaves were brought in to cultivate fresh expanses of sugar cane. At one point, Jamaica produced a fifth of the world’s sugar and the coastal city of Port Royal was a busy -- albeit debauched -- center for the export of rum, until it was destroyed by a 1692 earthquake. Port Royal’s demise is a metaphor for Jamaica’s imploding rum production, which is now confined to a handful of distilleries. Visitors can, however, tour a few examples of what remains.

Jamaica Rum

By far the most popular rum on the island is J. Wray & Nephew, a white, overproof rum of around 65 percent alcohol by volume, which is the favored tipple in rum shops and around the resorts. Wray & Nephew also owns Appleton Estate, which produces dark rums in a historic distillery open for tours. Otherwise, rum production is a part of Jamaica’s legacy that is largely unexploited, and visitors have limited options to explore remnants of the past. While there is ongoing production at Worthy Park Estate in the center of Jamaica and at the state-owned National Rums of Jamaica, only a handful of surviving estates are open to the public.

Tour Basics

It is possible to tour rum distilleries independently, but organized tours operate out of the busy tourist centers of Montego Bay and Negril and from the cruise ship ports at Ocho Rios and Falmouth. Typical excursions from Ocho Rios, for example, last 5.5 hours with the fee including transportation, admission, complimentary bottle of rum and guided tour of the estate. Appleton Estate is in Cockpit Country, a remote, landscape of lunar limestone cliffs and verdant valleys, a 2.5-hour drive from the capital Kingston or an hour south of Montego Bay.

Appleton Estate

Appleton Estate, one of Jamaica’s best-known rum distilleries, is in the hills above Nassau Valley in St. Elizabeth parish where the unique limestone-filtered water and climate are especially conducive to fine rum production. The estate tour lays bare the entire process of producing rum, from crushing the sugar cane by donkey-powered press to extract juices, through distillery and aging. Visitors can enjoy interactive activities such as juicing their own cane, boiling “wet sugar” and taking part in the all-important tasting. The estate is open every day except Sunday. Rum production at Appleton Estate dates back to 1749, making the facility Jamaica’s oldest working distillery.

Hampden Estate

One of the oldest distilleries and sugar estates in Jamaica, dating back to 1753, Hampden Estate in Trelawny specializes in heavy, pot-still rums for export and produces the award-winning 126-proof Rum Fire Overproof blend. In fact, the wharf in Falmouth where cruise ships now dock was initially built by Hampden to facilitate export of its rums. Since the property was acquired by Everglade Farms in 2009, Hampden has started to operate tours of the distillery, bottling plant, former Jamaica Sugar Co. mills and Hampden Great House.

About the Author

Nick Marshall has written about food and travel for magazines in the United Kingdom, United States and Caribbean. After graduating from Bristol University in 1996, Marshall went on to win the Daily Telegraph Young Food and Drink Writer of the Year Award.